Former Pa. Fire Officials to Stand Trial on Theft Charges

Two former officials with the now defunct Lewisberry Fire Co. will stand trial on allegations that they embezzled thousands of dollars from the fire company.

Former fire chief Markwood C. Albright II, 37, of 303 Harrisburg Pike in Dillsburg, is charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, access device fraud, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy.

District Judge Scott Gross held the charges for court Monday during the preliminary hearing.

Former company president Jennifer Lou Cassada, 37, of 308 N. Third St. in Rio Grande, N.J., is charged with the same offenses and waived her preliminary hearing, meaning the charges will be sent to court.

Lewisberry Fire Co., incorporated in 1840, was forced to shut its doors because of the alleged embezzlement.

Allegations: During the hearing, deputy prosecutor T.L. Kearney and police alleged Albright and Cassada stole at least $11,815.52 from the fire company and used the money to pay bills, to pay for items bought online and to take a Caribbean cruise.

Nearly $4,400 of that was spent on the cruise, said Sgt. Steven Lutz of Newberry Township Police.

The fire company's debit card was used to make the transactions, Lutz testified.

When questioned by police during the investigation, Albright told authorities Cassada told him that he won the cruise, Lutz said.

However, evidence presented during the hearing showed the cruise was charged to the fire company's debit card.

Albright had admitted to police during the investigation that he gave Cassada permission to use the debit to pay one utility bill, Lutz said.

Defense: Albright's attorney, Bill Graff, argued that since a debit card was used to make the transactions, there is no proof that Albright was part of the embezzlement.

"I don't think they've proven anything," Graff said of the prosecution's case.

However, Kearney said he showed a crime did occur and that Albright and Cassada benefited from that crime.

"What really brings that link together is he benefited from this," he said.

Albright and Cassada, who are free on $25,000 unsecured bail each, are scheduled to be formally arraigned on Feb. 17 at the York County Judicial Center, according to online court documents.

- Reach Greg Gross at 505-5434, [email protected], or follow him on Twitter at greggrss.